The Sword Tsukikage
by Krazie-edge
Summary: Sesshoumaru gets a letter from the central lands. what can it be about?
1. Chapter 1

This is just an alternate universe I created out of boredom one day.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does. I just wanted to create a story. Maybe I can captivate attention this way as this is the only outlet for my imagination any longer...

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It was a beautiful day in Japan. The sun was shining through the forested trees of the western lands upon the silvery white mane of hair that belong to a man named Sesshoumaru. He was reading a message that had been brought to him by the courier demon of the Central lands. Soon it would be his birthday and as birthright, he gets to try for a very powerful sword, the Tsukikage. The test is simple, but comes with an attachment. The reigning lord's sister, who has not been seen for centuries. He nods to the courier and sends his reply. 

"I will come see this sword and the sister, if I deem it worthy to try, I will do so." the courier nods and instructs him when to come. He also tells of the other demons, who will be trying for the sword this year. Kouga of the wolves, Joeru of the Tanuki, and Buruusu of the Pheonix. They were to show at lord Takai's palace on the first day of spring.

As Sesshoumaru walked home, he wondered why the courier told him of the other 3 demons. But that is not where I shall be introducing you next. No here we travel to the place where the Tsukikage is housed, the central lands.

Lord Takai of the central lands paced the temple where the sacred sword Tsukikage rested on a pedestal. Nearby the faded image of a pretty Inu demoness, the sister of Lord Takai, paced as well.

"Sister, the time is nigh for the Lords of the lands to come and try for the sword once again."

The demoness sighed, then spoke, "Takai... I don't want to watch the trials any longer. Just let them draw the sword if they wish... that is the real test to see if they are worthy. The only test. I've waited far too long." she waved a spectral hand at Takai. At that very moment the courier rushed into the temple.

"Lord Takai!" the cheetah demon panted. "he agreed!" both Takai and his sister looked. Takai seemed to dance with joy, while his sister crossed her arms and hmphed.

"Just another pathetic Taiyoukai to try and draw the sword." Takai looked at his sister.

"It's not just any Taiyoukai. It's the Taiyoukai of the west." this caused the female to raise an eyebrow.

"Another of the west. I suppose this one will be like the other who tried to claim me before he ruled the lands?"

Takai blinked. He was confused. Wait yes... There was another. Inu no Taisho, but he had taken a mate not long afterward.

"Stupid drunkard he was then." (I mean no disrespect to Inu no Taisho. He's actually cute .!) his sisters voice brought him from remembering the young Inu no Taisho. She then caught a thoughtful look as she mumbled something about his son Sesshoumaru's 16th birthday ball. She remembered that day clearly.

She spent most of the day following the arrogant prince around under the guise of a potential suitor, only because he was carting her prison around like he had business to do so. She had held a solid form for the first time in thousands of years for this very occasion. She had hated the daylight hours, but that all changed after nightfall when he couldn't see her, for she had shed her solid form and her ghostly form to enter her prison again. He removed her prison from his side and lay it on the table against the wall. A servant came to bid him goodnight and left the room. Once the young inu youkai thought he was alone, he fell to the floor and began to sob. It was then she decided to talk to him for the very first time. From inside her prison of course.

"What troubles you so young prince?"

Sesshoumaru spun and looked about the room, spotting no one he dared ask, "Who is there!"

"Worry not about my name young prince. I cannot tell anyone what I see or hear here anyway."

"I still want a name!" he cried indignantly.

"I am but the spirit guardian of the Tsukikage." she watched as Sesshoumaru stared at her prison. "oh do not stare so. You will find no answer that way." She then felt his hand close about her prisons' hilt.

It was then she was jarred from her memory.

"No," she whispered. Takai looked at her. "Not the very same arrogant prince that carted me around like he was the one to pull me from my sheath... all those centuries ago..."

"Sister, do calm yourself."

The Inu demoness humphed loudly and faded from view.

Takai blinked and decided to leave her alone for now. He would awaken her when it was time to choose if any were worthy. That's if she wasn't up already.

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well? may i ask how it is? review with comments. 


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: still don't own nothin except the plot. And the characters not in the Inuyasha shows.

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It was now the day the lords were to arrive. And the Inu demoness showed no signs of stirring from the prison she was locked in. Takai touched the hilt of the sword. 

"Sister Ki-ki-chan, do wake up soon. I cannot tell the story of the past if you do not awaken." The only response was a growl, but Takai knew she would answer soon. Only to his surprise the answer can in a wide awake voice.

"I was already awake Takai. This time I will recount the tale of the Tsukikage. I have a feeling it may be the only time I can do so..."

"Ki-ki-chan?"

"Hush Takai. We have been bound to this world for far too long... It is time to release you from the spell that allows you to live."

"But who will care for you sister?" Takai heard the sword sigh.

"I will become lost to time..."

"Sister! Allow someone to draw the sword from the sheath!" Takai began to get louder as he continued.

"Takai! Silence brother!" Takai paused mid sentence and walked before the Tsukikage. "Now listen and listen good. We have been on the plane of life for several milenia too long and you know it. I have been trying to let the sword be drawn for the last 500 years. It is be drawn by one of these arrogant fools or die. I must recite my tale for those to hear so we may be freed and you can grow old to die in old age."

"Sister..." Takai fell before the sword.

"Be strong little brother. Gather yourself before the lords arrive. I must recollect and meditate. Then after the castle grounds tour I will begin my tale." Takai nodded and left silently to fetch someone to polish her hilt. No doubt the blade was rusted by now. But little did Takai know that the blade was as shiny as the day it was forged, due to the bind of his sisters' soul to it. If it rusted, so would she die.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was the first to arrive. He headed strait for lord Takai's chambers to speak with him directly about the sword. He had never forgotten the voice that commanded respect that was part of the sword. 

"Lord Takai. This Sesshoumaru wishes an audience with you." Takai looked at the handsome Inu youkai.

"What do wish to speak about Sesshoumaru?"

"The sword Tsukikage. I want to know why a woman's voice comes from within it and why she says the sword is a prison."

Takai chuckled before answering, "Sesshoumaru, Tsukikage will tell you herself." Sesshoumaru was quite puzzled, but the stoic mask barely faltered. It was then that Buruusu the phoenix entered in his fire plumed glory. Followed by Joeru the tanuki. Buruusu puffed his fire feathers at the sight of Sesshoumaru and Joeru payed him no mind for the moment. He was plotting on snuffing a few of the arrogant birds feathers for fun. Takai offered the lords a few refreshments while they waited, just as Kouga showed himself from a whirlwind that blew into the room.

* * *

"I want to get this over with already!" Buruusu cried impatiently as Joeru snuffed another feather and was sent flying by the persnickety bird once again. "Let me at that sword so that I may show you all the better man!" 

Takai could only roll his eyes at the stupid fool. But he did reply. "Buruusu! Silence! When it is time you will get to try-"

"There is no try Takai! I will have that sword and these fools will have to hang their heads in shame!" he stood and thumped his chest. The boastful phoenix continued until Sesshoumaru grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back into his chair with a simple sentence.

"If I were allowed I'd kill you in a heartbeat. But since you have every right I do to try for this sword, then I will not. But continue and I will find other ways to make you silent." the mythical fowl shut his mouth quickly.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru," Takai said humbly. The Inu youkai moved back to his chair and sat down to finish the dignified meal set before them.

Once finished, Takai stood, "Lords of the 4 lands, I wish you goodnight and do sleep well, for tomorrow the tradition begins." with that he bowed to the four lords before exiting.

111

* * *

Takai entered the temple where Tsukikage rested. He stared at his sister quietly as she was resting in full formed glory in the moonlight upon a bench. 

"Do you need something dear brother?"

"Sesshoumaru said you spoke to him."

"Something troubled him long ago... It will never be revealed to the ears of another. Something troubled me that day as well my brother."

"Yet for over two centuries you have not spoken of it?"

"I could not."

"Why Ki-ki-chan?"

"You would have brought him too soon." Takai blinked.

"Brought him too soon?"

"That is what I said my brother." she turned to him and focused her eyes upon his face. "If he drew the sword too soon it would have caused my death... as well as yours and anyone going through these lands. Not to mention the trees and all the animals. This land would have been barren way before it's time."

* * *

Sesshoumaru had watched Takai go out to the temple grounds. He now wished to speak to the lord about what traditions were held for drawing the sword. He went as far as the temple doors and that is where he was stopped short. The lord of the central lands was yelling once more. 

"But Ki-ki-chan! You cannot!"

"Silence brother, I tire of this and wish to rest in peace."

"That voice," Sesshoumaru heard himself say, "So familiar... I must know the face of that voice." he headed within the temple doors and towards the main chamber where he heard the speaking emanating. As he neared the doors Takai stumbled from them as if to escape something. A small clawed hand shot from within the chamber and grabbed the dog demons blue haori and pulled him back in. Sesshoumaru decided to speak to Takai later as the female Inu was enraged. He was followed by her next words.

"You act as if I've spoken to more than just one male demon in my entire life! And that excludes you pig-head! You and father were always the same... 'You know your not allowed to speak to any male but the mate I've chosen for you. Takai make shure she never speaks to anyone other than you, me, or Lord Animaru.' That's what got me stuck here in the first place!"

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Tell me how this chappie is too? 

oh yes and for Azure Inu . yes I plan on making it that. hope you like this chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. yup. only thing that is mine is Ki-Ki-chan, Takai, Buruusu, Joeru, and the story line.

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Hours later would find Takai sporting bruises from his sister. That was the first time he had angered her in nearly a century. He always hated his sisters' wrath and did everything he could to avoid it. But when it came to the subject of her past arrangement with Animaru and why she was locked within the sword, he failed miserably. It was then Sesshoumaru decided to visit with the ancient Inu. 

"Sesshoumaru!" Takai cried trying to hide the bruises.

"I know they are there," the stoic lord said in his monotone way of addressing everyone. Takai sighed and looked at Sesshoumaru.

"What do you wish to know Lord of the West?"

"I wish to know about the traditions bound to the sword."

"I am truly sorry, but I cannot..." the stoic lord nodded and walked from the room and to the gardens, where he found a beauty of a demon sitting upon a bench dressed in a stained, but clean servant's yukata. Her white hair, ears, and tail shone in the moonlight as if she were royalty. As soon as she spotted him, her silvery blue eyes widened and she scurried to leave, but Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"What do you know of the Tsukikage?" his amber eyes seemed to pierce her gaze and into her soul.

'Not that feeling again...' the silver haired Inu demoness thought. She offered him the following information to the lord. "It is a prison..."

"Prison for who?"

"I cannot tell you Lord Sesshoumaru. Tsukikage will tell you tomorrow." with that she gently pulled her hand away and walked towards the temple. 'Why do I feel as if I will be freed from the sword soon? Wait, was that? Oh no if he remembers things as well as I have heard, then he will know that I am the voice that spoke to him all those years ago.'

Sesshoumaru stared after the Inu demoness as she seemed to scurry out of his sight. He tried to observe her as she hurried toward the temple, but she was moving too quickly for his eyes to track. Or was it something else that made her hard to perceive at this time of the night with the fog rolling in. Sesshoumaru turned to go to his room for the night. He would search the girl out later. He would now know her scent as it was on his hand. He sniffed at his hand to find there was no scent at all. He growled his irritation, but soon was soothed, by the remembrance of those silvery blue eyes under the bangs of silvery-white. He would find out her identity soon enough, without having to seek her out.

* * *

It was early when Takai roused the lords from their slumbering states.

"Awaken, the time has come for the tale of the Tsukikage." each grumbled something about the earliness, excepting the western lord as he was used to being roused in the morning much earlier than this by Rin. Takai noted that to tell to Ki-ki-chan later. Once they all were up, they headed towards the temple.

"In the room just before the grand hall, we must put on robes of pure white." Buruusu bristled his feathers and stared at the back of Takai vehemently. Takai stopped them at the doors and gave them each a robe and gestured each to a room to change into the robes. Each exited in the robes as instructed and Joeru looked at the robes uninterestedly, Buruusu balked at the robes, Kouga looked uncomfortable, and Sesshoumaru looked as if he cared less for the silken robe he was wearing. Then Takai lead them into the main hall and called out, "Tsukikage! The candidates have arrived in the central chamber in the white robes per your request!"

"A SWORD DEMANDS I WEAR THIS GAUDY ROBE?.!" Buruusu screamed. Kouga and Joeru rolled their eyes at the pompous bird's words.

"Silence Phoenix of the South. Be seated." the voice seemed to come from around all of them. A set of cushions appeared on the floor before them. The lords each in turn blinked at them, before sitting, Buruusu grumbling about magic from other countries. Once they had settled Takai seated himself on a cushion near the doorway and the Tsukikage began to speak.

"Long ago the lord of the central lands had two children. A son and a daughter..."


	4. Chapter 4

The Past

-7,000 years prior-

A teenage-looking silver-haired Inu demoness and her black-haired brother were sitting in the gardens before a great temple. Their instructor Katsuharu growled out instructions on the subject he was teaching. Kingdom politics. It was one of the subjects needed to become rulers of the central lands. Or whatever land they resided in.

"Sister," the black-haired Inu whispered, "I'm bored..."

The girl looked at him.

"Let's ditch Katsuharu-sensei and go exploring."

"Takai!" Katsuharu snarled, his short green hair spiking up. "If my teaching is so boring, then leave! Far be it that you make it as a lord in this world!" with that the green-haired one stalked off.

"Takai... That wasn't very nice."

"Ki-ki-chan!" her brother called from across the gardens. "Let's go! Katsuharu-sensei won't stay gone for long!" the girl rolled her eyes and followed her brother to the gates.

"Takai! Wait! Let me get changed first!" Takai mumbled, but allowed his sister to get her silvery-white haori. He changed into a midnight blue one, bedecked with kanji for his name, and tied with a silvery blue sash. His sister returned to the gates just moments before he. Her silvery haori was tied with an obi the same color as his sash, and her long hair was tied in a low ponytail with a silvery blue sash that trailed down and mixed with her hair.

"Are you ready now Ki-ki-chan?" the girl nodded. With that the boy took off out the gates and into the forest. She followed him for quite some time before losing sight of him in the dense forestry.

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"Takai?" she came upon a clearing. In the center was an old abandoned shrine. "Takai?"

No answer came except the chirping of the birds nearby. She walked further into the clearing.

"Takai!" She stared around once more. 'Maybe he's in that shrine...' She walked into the shrine and looked around.

"Takai? Are you in here?" She walked up to the altar and called him again.

"There is no Takai here onna. Why don't you come talk with me?" The girl whirled around to face a wolf demon in the robes of a sorcerer. He reached for her.

She shook her head and made ready to run, but the man caught her by the Haori sleeve and dragged her into his embrace. He planted a rough kiss on her lips as she struggled.

"Too good to pleasure a tired ookami are we?" He slapped her roughly and threw her down to the floor. "We'll see how you feel once you are cursed to be a servant!"

The wolf began to chant and the young girl cried out in pain as her body forced itself to shape into a sword. Her claws lengthening and melding together; becoming metal, her body compacting and shrinking into a hilt wrapped in silk. The screams cut off as the sword clattered to the floor before the angry youkai.

"Now you will be cursed until you are freed by the hand that can draw you from this sheath!" The wolf threw a sheath before her swordly form and she was attracted into it. Once inside the wolf tried to draw her from the sheath, but couldn't. He then cast her aside. "Worthless onna!" With that he left in a puff of smoke. The girl's spirit formed just next to the sword and she buried her face in her hands and cried in loud wrenching sobs. There Takai found her.

"Tsukikage-chan! What's wrong sister!"

"Woe befalls me dear brother Takai! I am cursed to be a sword until the day I am freed from my sheath!" Takai just blinked.

"Come sister. We shall tell father of this tragedy.

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"And that they did. The father being a wise old Inu Taiyoukai he placed Takai under an enchantment. He would never age as long as Tsukikage was encased in the sheath. Until she would be freed. He decreed that only her future husband should be the one that pulls her from the sheath. And so the legend is before you. All you need do is free the Hime Tsukikage from her sheath and she is yours."

Burusuu balked at the story. "BAH! That is just a sword not a cursed Hime! That's just a tale!"

"Then leave Phoenix of the south. I will not have you touch me after declaring that my past is a lie."

"I'll show you!" The defiant Phoenix stood and walked towards the sword, grasped it and tried to draw it from the sheath forceully. It was followed by an angry yelp and a za, then the sword clattered to the floor and Burusuu was holding his hand as it smoked slightly.

"I said do not touch me! Leave before I do worse than zap you!" The bird attempted to reply, but was shoved into a wall by Takai, whose eyes were bleeding red.

"You heard her Burusuu," he snarled. Meanwhile the Tanuki went to draw the sword, but couldn't. He set it down and shrugged. He didn't want it anyway. He left to change and go to his room. Koga and Sesshoumaru managed to pry the angry black dog from the phoenix and Kouga dragged the phoenix away and deposited him outside. Then told a servant to take him to his room once he change on order of Takai and walked back into the room of Tsukikage.

At this time Takai was sitting on his knees, he head tilted downward.

"Go ahead... try to draw the sword Kouga of the east." Kouga walked to the sword and speculated a moment

'What a beauty the sword has described. If the legend is true she will be my woman.' He then tried to draw the sword. No luck, he set it down and walked out a bit dejected.

"It has come to you Lord Sessoumaru. Taiyoukai of the west. Please, be the one to save my sister..." Takai whispered so low that it was barely heard by his own ears.


	5. Chapter 5

(Krazie) writers block HO! and if I haven't said so before. I do not own any of Rumiko Takahashi's works. I just like writing my own thoughts upon them...

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood in the gardens late that night. He had requested to wait on trying to draw the sword. Currently he was looking for the pretty girl he had seen the night before. Her silvery ears, tail, and hair would be hard to miss in the beautiful moonlit night. Soon she wandered into the gardens. The Inu youkai girl with the lovely silver hair. Sesshoumaru watched her move about slowly. Her gaze was at the ground and it looked as if she were worried. Her tail was low, her ears somewhat drooped, her silvery-blue eyes looked sad. Sesshoumaru felt compelled to go comfort her as a sword had done long before for him. He had never forgotten the words it had spoken to him. Sesshoumaru stood and walked to what seemed to be a servant girl looking like a lord should. Or like Sesshoumaru always did. Stoically arrogant. It was then the girl noticed him. Her silvery-blue eyes cast themselves upon his face for the briefest second, then tore themselves away, but not before he had seem the pain enveloped there. 

"What troubles you?" Normally Sesshoumaru wouldn't ask, but the lovely girl looked so torn.

"I cannot tell you," Sesshoumaru showed great surprise. The first time he was asked and he was denied. This intrigued him greatly. Normally the females were wanting his questions. He stared down a good foot and a half at the onna.

"And why is it you cannot answer this Sesshoumaru's question?"

"The penalties that lie if I were to tell you what troubles me m'lord..." she bowed to the Taiyoukai and proceeded to scurry away. He saw the clawed feet that kicked up the back of the long servant's yukata.

"Wait..." the girl stopped. "What is your name?" The girl turned and looked at him quietly then whispered one sentence before running away from him.

"They call me Ki-ki-chan..."

* * *

Sesshoumaru found himself before Takai once more. 

"Takai." Takai looked up from his paperwork.

"Yes Lord of the west?"

"One of your servants is troubled."

"Which one?"

"She told me that they call her Ki-ki-chan. Takai paled for but a moment.

"Why don't you go find her." he rubbed the back of his head quietly.

Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"Talk to her but don't bring up what troubled her." Sesshoumaru simply turned and walked from the room. He would find the servant girl and talk with her. He was curious about why she looked so pristine and clean, even with a stained yukata.

"Hello Sesshoumaru-sama," a voice spoke from behind, "Lovely evening is it not?" he turned to see the pristine servant looking at the moon.

He nodded. The girl looked at him again. "Woman, what can I call you besides... Ki-ki-chan..." he said the last part as if it were evil.

The girl looked thoughtful, then she simply said, "Tsuki."

"That is much better than the other... name."

Tsuki smirked and kept looking at the moon.

"Why is it you watch the moon so?"

"I like the rays of the moonlight." Sesshoumaru stared at her. She looked back casually. she jumped in surprise as she saw the crescent upon his brow. "I must go. I am not worthy to look upon the countenance of one who carries the mark of the moon." Sesshoumaru was a bit put off, but he didn't show it at all. He caught her as she turned to run.

"Do not flee from me." she turned toward him.

"But you are son of the Moon. Even if I weren't named Tsukikage..." she stopped as she realized what she had said. She blinked at the western lord as he smirked.

"No one has been named Tsukikage in thousands of years and you smell no older than two-hundred."

"That's because I am no older than two-hundred physically." she gently shook him off. "I still don't have the right to look upon you."

Sesshoumaru remained quiet for some time before the onna before him spoke again.

"I must go. It is late son of the moon I must rest." he reached for her wrist again, only to be stopped by her words. "Please. Let me go rest..." he looked at her quietly as she bowed respectfully and rushed off. Sesshoumaru sat on the bench that he was near and thought to himself.

* * *

"Ki-ki-chan! You revealed yourself to him?!" Takai shouted in exasperation. 

"I wanted to get to know him! Is that so wrong brother?"

"Ki-ki-chan! You weren't supposed to talk to him unless he draws the sword you know that!"

"Shut-up Takai! I went to him as a servant girl! Is it so bad that I wanted to get to know him? To know the youkai behind what he shows? You know nothing! LEAVE ME!"

"But Oneesan!"

"Go away you BAKA KUSO!" Tsukikage waited until her brother left to lift the sword, her prison from it's pedestal and tied it in her kimono. She then walked out of the temple and past Takai's large house, out the gate, and into the forest.

Sesshoumaru had watched her leave. It was not his business to know where the girl had taken the sword. obviously it was hers to do with as she pleased.

* * *

"The next morning Takai found the sword missing. He looked about for his sister to question her, but she was nowhere to be found. Maybe she had been sleeping when she was kidnapped. The girl couldn't travel too far from the sword as her spirit was tied to the living sword. 

"TSUKIMARU!" he soon set up a search party to find his missing sister and Sesshoumaru went home, saying if the sword was found he shall try to draw it.

* * *

**Five Centuries Later**

Tsukikage sat upon a branch near the cave where she had hidden her sword. Hundreds had tried to draw it, and seeing they couldn't usually tried to take it for decoration. that was when she would zap them until they dropped it. humans usually tried to draw it because it looked valuable. demons cared not for an old moss covered sword.

"ergh... covered in moss... how degrading..." she muttered quietly. She looked around and spotted a girl in a strange kimono running in tears. she hopped down and a twig snapped in protest if her landing. the girl spun around and stared at Tsukikage. Tsukikage looked at the girl quietly with her eyes half closed and her mouth set in a straight line.

The strange girl looked ready to scream, but Tsukikage sat down and simply spoke, "Relax, I'm not gonna kill you. What bothers you so woman child?" The strange girl sat up and stared at the demon before her.

"My name is Kagome!"

"I do not need to know your name woman child. I merely wanted to ask you why you are out here alone."

Kagome crossed her arms, "Inuyasha was all over Kikyou again."

"Inuyasha and Kikyou are?"

"Inuyasha is an Inu-Hanyou and Kikyou was once a priestess. She died fifty years ago."

"A halfbreed? That answers my question. His dog-like loyalties won't let him release his love for her. I smell from you despair. Forget trying to love him. He's not going to come out of that as long as she's alive child. Or even a walking clay pot. Do your duty and go home." She watched the girl stand up and move to the well and jump in. She saw a blue shine from the well and investigated. She saw and smelled nothing except bones and soil. She shrugged and moved back to her cave for the night.

While she was sleeping, the leaves rustled around her prison alerting her to company nearby. she felt the touch of clawed fingers and made ready to zap. She was soon lifted from the ground and stared at by a pair of cold looking golden eyes. Sesshoumaru.

"So this is where you have hidden yourself..." He made ready to draw her from the sheath when he heard the whimper from the sword. he narrowed his eyes at it.

"Why would you want to draw me from the sheath all covered in moss and such. if i were drawn from the sword I would surely be disgustingly covered in moss!" He snorted and proceeded. He brought the sword out 3 good inches, slid it back into it's sheath, then tied it to his sash below the Tokijin which resonated evilly at Tsukimaru. She grumbled at the Tokijin and crossed her arms. Well she would have if she could have. She settled back into sleep until she was dropped into a large tub of water. a gentle pair of hands reached into the tub after her moments later and brought her out and gently scrubbed her clean.

"My my aren't you the prettiest ancient sword I've ever seen," and elderly nezumi said to her.

"Yeah and five centuries in moss made me old..." Tsukikage said sarcastically. The nezumi dropped the sword onto the floor upon hearing her speak.

"Y-y-you speak?!"

"The Western lord did not tell you I speak?"

"No he did not. I presumed you were just a decoration for the lord."

"Well since you now know I do I would ask a favor of you. If I am ever turned back. No kimono please..."

"But you are merely a sword." The nezumi started to clean her again as Tsukikake told her tale to the old nezumi.

"So, you've been hiding from your brother for five centuries?"

"Yes. He's nothing but a bakayarou." Tsukimaru was enjoying being clean after five centuries of dirt and moss. "The only good thing he ever did was have me cleaned vigorousl. Every space that could be gotten was always clean. Now I don't expect to be expert clean, just clean of the worst of this."

"Tsukikage-hime. It would be my duty to clean you so." Tsukikage grumbled and appeared near the lady.

"I don't care. You've got too many other duties. Let me take over in cleaning myself..." the Nezumi looked to where the voice was now coming from and bowed low before her. Tsukikage took the sword and began to clean it herself, as the Nezumi scrambled away and into Sesshoumaru.

"Forgive me Sesshoumaru-sama!" she then scurried away quickly. He walked in to find Tsukikage, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back into a bun on her head with a silvery blue sash. and her hands dunked in the tub of water, scrubbing at something, while holding her breath. when her hands pulled a soapy sword out of the water she drew in a huge gulp of air. He raised an eyebrow at this and Tsukikage looked at him.

"Can a lady wash herself in peace?"

"Why were you holding your breath?" she demonstrated by putting the sword hilt in the water and blowing out. The water where the sword was bubbled up. Tsukikage drew the sword out of the water and rinsed it. She inspected it closely and lay it aside and unfolded her sleeves, then picked it up and handed it to him before walking behind him. He turned around to find she wasn't there.

"Insolent wench!" Tsukikage kept quiet and half rested until she was gently placed on a sword rack in his study, where she promptly slept. that was when she heard, "I wonder what she likes to eat?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken the ugly hikigaeru stormed into the room.

"What is it Jaken."

"The halfbreed is screaming for you to come out and fight him!" It was after he'd cried that when a clawed hand shot out from nowhere, he didn't recognise these markings, a silvery blue strip on the wrist, a silvery blue haori, white under kimono, femine neck, into silvery-blue eyes burning in anger above silvery blue strips on her cheeks. a snarl ripped from Tsukikage and she threw him against the wall.

"Quiet Bakayarou!" she stormed out of the room past the dazed hikigaeru and out of the castle where she heard the screaming hanyou. She walke dup to the gate and stared at the silver-haired, golden eyed hanyou.

"Sesshoumaru get your ass out here and fight me!" Her hand shot through the bars of the gate and grabed the hanyou by his neck, then slammed him into the bars. Hard.

"Shut-up Baka."

"What the fuck are you doing wench!?" he brandished the Tetsusaiga at the clearly female Tsukimaru before him.

"I told you to shut-up baka kuso." The two battled, well... more like kind of a one sided battle... Inuyasha slashing and Tsukikage dodging for several hours, before Tsukikage slashed him across the belly as he was trying to exectute an attack, with a whip of light, effectively putting him to the ground. "Now if you don't mind leaving baka I was sleeping before you and the toad were screaming." She turned and walked away from the Inu-Hanyou. "Go back to your clay pot... Inuyasha."

* * *

Krazie: hmmmm... should I have Sesshoumaru draw the sword out soon or wait a while. tough question... 

Tsukikage: I hate you Krazie!!!

Krazie: how can you hate your creator? oh well quiet I dunno


End file.
